it will reach approximately 50% by 2030. 
 
 Electrification & Hydrogenification are two long term solutions, CNGfication will continue to grow. 
 
 Stricter Emission Regulations, CAFÉ Norms with drastic fuel economy improvement and reduction in CO2 reduction, various Safety related regulations makes design’s job very challenging. But there is ONE SOLUTION i.e. Use of Composite Material, Tanks and Load body and certain vehicles parts. 
 
 Composite Material, especially Type IV fuel storage tanks for CNG & Hydrogen reduces the kerb weight by 70% which is substantial. We had done a detailed study for all CNG truck and Cars for all OEMs in India and tried to find the kerb weight saving for each model and we observed that there is a possibility to save 4% to 6% kerb weight at Vehicle level. One simple decision to shift from Type I CNG storage tank to shift to Type IV makes such a great benefit. 
 
 So, in all for CNG vehicle, total kerb weight saving will be 8 to 10% and Diesel trucks, it will be just 4% to 6%. 
 
 Kerb weight saving has multiple benefits, Fuel economy improvement, equivalent higher payload and these benefits are for whole vehicle life. Therefore, payback period for additional cost is coming just to 1 or max 1.25 years. This is good enough for Customer to accept"

lithium, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and others is set to rise significantly. At the same time, legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act have supported an expansion of American battery recycling capacity and innovation, creating incentives for domestic recycling through an EV tax credit. To date, there is little EV battery recycling capacity in the United States, but a combination of federal funding and private sector investment, as well as regulatory action, can help to develop a domestic recycling supply chain. This paper outlines research and findings from a December 2023 roundtable that C2ES hosted in Columbus, Ohio, which explored the critical materials recycling opportunity in the region. The paper also explores policy recommendations resulting from the roundtable for federal, state, and local policymakers to advance the EV battery and critical materials recycling industry in a way that achieves both climate and economic development goals. These recommendations aim to address key gaps identified through the roundtable, including: expanding collection, transport, and recycling infrastructure; educating consumers, businesses, and policymakers; investing in worker safety and training; expanding research and development initiatives to improve the economics and recyclability of batteries; and developing policies to incentivize and coordinate recycling practices across the industry.

the safety dangers associated with the liquid electrolytes. Herein, a novel composite solid-state electrolyte, which is metal-gluten filled polyaniline-based composite material, was developed and investigated for Li-S batteries. Three different solvents: toluene, hexane, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) were used for the preparation of the composite materials. Stainless steel symmetrical cells were made to measure the impedance of the electrolytes using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS analysis was conducted for the samples after air-drying and oven-drying at 60 oC, and the results were very promising for toluene and hexane. The impedance for toluene, hexane, and THF after air-drying were 70, 170, and 1500 ohm, respectively. However, the impedance for toluene, hexane, and THF after oven-drying were 260, 280, and 2500 ohm, respectively. The composite solid electrolytes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The assembled Li/polyaniline-based composite material/CoS coin cells showed promising specific capacities and cycling stability. Overall, the results demonstrated that the polyaniline-based composite materials are effective components for synthesizing solid-state electrolytes for Li-S batteries.

energy supply is leading us on a new path, where promising battery technology such as vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) are poised to take a leading role. Vanadium, the key mineral in VRFB electrolyte, is on the U.S. Critical Minerals list, meaning it is necessary to meet national defense or national security requirements. Countries of concern are rapidly positioning themselves to dominate important vanadium markets. We have a limited time to aggressively ramp domestic vanadium ecosystems to avoid repeating the painful lessons of lithium. 
 Since electrolyte represents 40-60% of the overall system cost, NATO-friendly supply of the vanadium oxides and their conversion into electrolyte are amongst the most urgent needs for the VRFB industry. The presentation reviews near term options to secure and support existing NATO-friendly mining sources and expand the availability of vanadium recycled from sources such as spent catalysts. In the longer term, there is a need to expand domestic mining. Despite significant deposits, there are no primary producing vanadium mines in North America. The permitting process must be streamlined, and supporting costs to set up extraction equipment should be eligible for federal funding. 
 The time is now to take charge of our destiny and create a domestic supply chain for long-duration energy storage and manufacturing capacities for vanadium redox flow batteries —not dependent on foreign entities or countries of concern.

that of the graphite anode. However, the Si anode faces fundamental challenges due to their substantial volume change, up to 400%, upon lithiation and delithiation. This volume change, if repeated, can pulverize active particles, leading to mechanical degradation and loss of electrical wiring, and thereby rapid capacity fading. In this study, we combine two different manufacturing techniques to achieve large capacity and long cycle life for the Si anode. We employ electrowriting that is our unique capability to produce three-dimensional (3D), flexible fiber structures. This pushes the manufacturing limit of electrospinning to produce orientation-controlled fibers with micron precision. We have electrowritten 3D scaffolds that can contain agglomerated Si-C composite particles produced by electrospraying. These secondary particles, in which primary particle size is 40 nm, have uniform size (diameter ~800 nm) and porosity. Porous anode morphology can facilitate efficient electrolyte penetration, enhancing electrochemical performance. Electrowriting created 20 x 20 μm grid structures made of 2 µm-diameter polyacrylic acid fibers. We found that the electrosprayed Si/C anode delivers 2000 mAh/g at the 20th discharge at C/10 with 88.6% capacity retention. Electrowriting can improve adhesion of electrosprayed Si-C particles, leading to good cyclability. Compared with a conventionally prepared Si anode, this construction can accommodate volume change of Si upon Li cycling. We consider that our approach provides new insights to battery manufacturing to address challenges in the Si anode.

particularly important in this context. This study investigates the efficiency of small-scale CAES tanks using a pneumatic vane turbine at pressures of 4 bar and 6 bar. The experimental setup includes a standard isochoric storage tank and a specially designed isobaric tank with a spring-actuated scissor-jack (SASJ) piston system, which maintains constant pressure during operation. The results reveal significant differences in electrical efficiency between isochoric and isobaric systems. The isochoric tank achieved efficiencies of 13% and 7.8% at 4 bar and 6 bar, respectively, while the isobaric tank demonstrated higher efficiencies of 18.2% and 12.7% under the same conditions. These findings suggest that the isobaric CAES system offers greater consistency and efficiency across various pressures, highlighting its potential for improving energy storage solutions in renewable energy applications.

even at low current densities (ca. 2.5-2.7 V) is significantly lower relative to the theoretical value (4.57 V), causing a significant penalty in specific energy. To reduce the overpotential at the CFx electrode, we altered the electrochemical reaction mechanism to defluorinating the CFx electrode upon discharge, without concomitant lithiation. Here, using a room temperature fluoride-ion (F-ion) conducting electrolyte, we demonstrate the electrochemical defluorination of CFx cathodes paired with either lead (Pb) or tin (Sn) metal anodes for the first time. 
 The primary F-ion Pb-CFx and Sn-CFx cells yielded capacities of 700 mAh g-1 and 400 mAh g-1. Importantly, the discharge voltage of the Pb-CFx cell suggested that polarization loss of the cell was reduced by 1 V compared to a Li-CFx cell, indicating that a much higher operating voltage could be achieved with this design. XRD measurements show that PbF2 forms on the Pb anode. Solid-state 19F and 119Sn NMR measurements of a F-ion Sn-CFx Sn electrode revealed the presence of both SnF2 and SnF4. Overall, we have demonstrated a new electrochemical discharge mechanism relative to conventional Li–CFx cells, which reduces polarization loss and raises the possibility of improvement to a higher practical discharge voltage.

candidates due to the low cost and availability of zinc, its inertness in ambient and aqueous-based electrochemistry and high theoretical gravimetric and volumetric capacity of the zinc anode material (820 mAh/g and 5850 mAh/mL respectively). Nevertheless, good cycle life and utilization has proven difficult due to various zinc failure mechanisms that exist. Zinc-ion batteries are of particular interest in comparison to their alkaline counterparts due to the absence of electrochemically inactive materials being formed during zinc discharge which affects cycle life performance. However, most zinc-ion work has employed low utilizations of the zinc active material at current densities below 1 mA/cm2.
In this work, the zinc utilization and reversibility at a current density of ~4.5 mA/cm2 during cycling is examined in 5 and 27 molal potassium acetate (KOAc) electrolytes. Zinc//zinc symmetric single-discharge experiments concluded that whilst 27 m KOAc was unsuccessful in electrostripping ~1% of the zinc mass, lowering the concentration to 5 m KOAc provides an effective strategy for utilizing a practical amount of zinc mass for a primary discharge. Furthermore, adding 4 v/v% of acetic acid allows to circumvent the formation of zinc oxide completely, providing electrochemical reversibility. Overall, the studies are fruitful in understanding the relationship between zinc anode and the electrolyte system at industrially relevant parameters in pursuit of the scale-up of zinc-ion battery devices.

across cells in a module can vary from different sources. These can range from intrinsic variations in cells (impedance of the cell, state of charge, manufacturing variations) to extrinsic sources like electrical (connectivity of electrical elements, interconnect/tab resistances, welding resistances, etc.) and thermal topology (thermal resistances in the module through metallic interconnects, spatial arrangement of cells, thermal boundaries across the module). The variation in cell current, voltage, and temperature has implications for the aging and degradation of cells over long-term usage. Extreme imbalance in the module is a safety concern and can lead to thermal runaway. 
 In this research, we investigate the electrical topology of cells in a module using a coupled electrical-electrochemical-thermal model. The electrical and thermal topology in a module are different. We focus on the electrical topology of the cells in the module and analyze the variation in cell current, voltage, and temperature to gain insight into the role of electrical topology in cell imbalance. This physics-based model utilizes a simplified electrochemical and lumped thermal model at the cell level. At the module level, the electrochemical-thermal response of cells is coupled with the electrical and thermal connectivity of the module.

transitions from fossil fuels towards intermittent renewable energy. Metallic zinc (Zn) anodes are produced industrially for primary and rechargeable Zn batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, relative abundance, non-toxic, and non-flammable nature. Zn in alkaline electrolytes have poor reversibility at high Zn utilization due to passivation, shape change/redistribution, dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution, and the crossover of zincate ion (Zn(OH)42−) into the cathode. Zinc oxide (ZnO) anodes with additives such as calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) have shown improvements on cyclability due to the in-situ formation of lower solubility calcium zincate (CaZn, (Ca[Zn(OH)3]2·2H2O)). 
 Ex-situ synthesized CaZn vs nickel under alkaline conditions shows great improvement in cyclability but to be economically feasible, must be paired with MnO2. To understand how CaZn can be incorporated into commercial alkaline Zn/MnO2 batteries, anode formulations with increasing CaZn (0%, 30%, 70%, 100%) in mixtures with Zn are investigated in 20 wt.% KOH with minor additions of Bi2O3, acetylene carbon, and CTAB surfactant. The total molar zinc content is normalized keeping electrode capacity comparable, resulting in electrodes relevant to real world use cases. At high 50% Zn utilization, Zn anodes achieved ~50 cycles while CaZn achieved, a five-time improvement resulting in four-times cost reduction per cycle. The different failure mechanisms of the majority Zn with CaZn vs a pure CaZn anode are investigated. 
 Acknowledgement: This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity.

storage landscape, particularly supporting the decarbonization of the power sector as a low-cost, high safety alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage. However, the relative infancy of ZIBs means there are a limited number of reported cathode materials, with the divalent nature of the working cation (Zn2+) imparting several design requirements for new cathode development, specifically the need for structures capable of Zn2+ intercalation. Looking to other established battery chemistries, the use of alkali additives in mixed metal oxides has been shown to support the formation of structures capable of intercalating larger working cations. While Mn-oxides have been extensively studied for ZIB cathodes, the use of other transition metal centers such as Ni have not garnered as much attention. As such we take a combined approach to understand the impact of Ni in parallel with various alkali additives on the structural and electrochemical properties of 15 different cathode materials for ZIBs. The use of alkali additives was shown to greatly impact the structure of the prepared materials and thus the kinetics of Zn2+ intercalation which highlighted a clear trend between deliverable capacity and Zn2+ diffusion. Furthermore, we identified the impact of Ni on capacity and stability within the aqueous electrolyte stability window. Considering the narrow range of reported materials for ZIBs, this work provides insight for researchers on the interplay between structure, composition and performance of mixed-metal oxide cathodes to help accelerate future material development.

high theoretical energy density by coupling a Li metal anode with an “air-breathing” cathode. The Li-O2 cell has however remained plagued by the poor safety characteristics of the metal anode and the sluggish O2 electrochemistry at the cathode side, leading to poor round-trip efficiencies and unpractical lifetimes. Efforts to shift from pure O2 to practical ambient air have also long revealed that CO2 and moisture in the air radically affect the O2 electrochemistry, the resulting product selectivity, and the overall performance of these devices.
In a tetraglyme electrolyte, we have demonstrated that CO2 shifts the discharge reaction mechanism toward the formation of Li2CO3 (with complete Li2O2 absence), which requires unpractical potentials (>4.5 V) upon cell recharge. Efforts to shed light on the mechanism of these devices and uncover strategies toward performance enhancement are here highlighted. We probed the possibility of tuning the battery cycling conditions/operating temperatures and the solvation properties of chosen solvents/salts as promising strategies to stabilize soluble peroxocarbonate intermediates with lower oxidation potentials. Alternatively, our team has also shed light on the promise of integrating suitable redox mediators to facilitate the decomposition of Li2CO3 in this CO2-assisted Li-O2. A correlation between the required concentration of redox species and the morphology/crystallinity of discharge products and the promise of coupling for the first time electrochemical/spectroscopic analyses to uncover the nature of these operating redox species (e.g., Br2···Br3- anionic complexes) are here further reported.

occurs on graphite anodes under these conditions. Here, we yield new insights into the mechanistic processes underpinning electrochemical Li-ion intercalation and Li metal plating reactions on graphite anodes at low temperatures and fast rates. Variable-temperature (-40 to 30 °C) galvanostatic measurements were conducted on three-electrode cells comprised of Li metal counter, graphite working, and Li metal reference electrodes, as well as two-electrode cells without the reference electrode. The results establish that the local minima in the voltage profiles, often associated with the nucleation overpotential for Li metal plating on graphite, must be disentangled from contributions from Li metal stripping at the counter electrode. Differential capacity analysis enables intercalation and plating processes to be further distinguished, revealing temperature regimes where the reactions either occur sequentially (e.g., near ambient temperature) or simultaneously (e.g., below -20 °C). The temperature dependence of overpotentials and characteristic reaction time scales were analyzed, suggesting that a two-step, pre-equilibration mechanism occurs prior to either intercalation or plating, wherein Li+ cations reversibly adsorb on the graphite surface followed by irreversible charge transfer to form either Li metal or LixC6. Variable-rate galvanostatic measurements on two-electrode cells show that the voltage profiles at faster rates exhibit key similarities with those at lower temperatures. The results yield mechanistic understanding into how Li+ cations electrochemically intercalate and plate into graphite electrodes, as well as their competition at low temperatures and fast rates.

material for high-performance supercapacitors, particularly for integration into electric vehicles (EVs). Rhodochrosite, a readily available and relatively abundant manganese carbonate mineral, presents a sustainable alternative to traditional MnO2 production methods. The research investigates the synthesis of MnO2 from rhodochrosite ore through a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process, optimizing parameters such as temperature, reaction time, and reagent concentration. The resulting MnO2 is then characterized for its structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties. Its suitability as an electrode material is evaluated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The study emphasizes the promising performance of rhodochrosite-derived MnO2 for supercapacitor applications, showcasing its high specific capacitance, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability, which surpasses the performance of conventional MnO2 materials. Additionally, the feasibility of integrating these supercapacitors into EVs is explored, taking into account factors such as energy density, power density, and weight. In conclusion, this research proposes a sustainable and cost-effective approach to producing high-performance MnO2 for supercapacitors, thereby contributing to the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions for the rapidly growing EV market.

only a limited theoretical specific capacity. In contrast, Si offers a high theoretical specific capacity (~3579 mAh/g) and high elemental abundance. However, using Si efficiently as an anode material faces significant challenges, as poor electrical conductivity and volume expansion (~300%) during cycling causing mechanical damage and subsequent capacity loss. To address these issues, various strategies have been investigated. Promising results have been achieved by nanostructuring Si to diminish volume changes, adding carbon filler to improve electrical conductivity, and using binders to enhance mechanical stability. However, insulating polymeric binders create weak interface between Si and electrically conducting additives, causing contact loss between Si and carbon fillers during cycling. To prevent this, conducting polymers can be used as binders, also serving as conductivity boosters. Herein, novel anodes were synthesized from 3D hydrogel polypyrrole frameworks into which Si nanoparticles were incorporated. Different types of Si nanoparticles, ranging from 5 to 100 nm, were used. Larger nanoparticles achieved higher initial specific capacity values, but quickly declined during cycling. In contrast, smaller nanoparticles showed improved cycling stability. Overall, the electrochemical measurements showed that decreasing Si size enhances cycling stability. The effect of solid-state properties (crystalline or amorphous) of Si on the electrochemical performance of the hydrogel electrodes was studied. Although amorphous Si in electrodes led to excellent stability, crystalline Si was proven more advantageous as it showed better electrochemical performance with improved specific capacity.

their high reversible capacity and high operating voltage of up to 3.6 vs Li/Li+. However, issues with cyclic life, cost of cobalt, thermal and structural stability of the material hinders the widespread adoption. Additionally, Nickel-rich cathode material, Li[Ni1−x−yCoxAly]O2 (x, y ≤ 0.1) (NCA) with a stronger Al-O bond compared to Mn-O bonds give a much better cyclic stability but electrochemically inactive Al results in a lower specific capacity. A cathode material with the advantages of NCM and NCA can be used to better the performance of LIBs. Aluminum doping is a well-known technique used to improve the performance of the cathode but the doping amount needs to be properly controlled. In this study, a oxalate coprecipitation technique is used to synthesized bulk doped quaternary Li[Ni1-x-y-zCoxMyAz]O2 (x, y, z ≤ 0.1) (NCMA) material with varying cobalt and aluminum quantity to study the effect of Al doping on the performance of the cathode material. Three different Al and Co compositions were studied. It was found that with increase in the Al content, the specific capacity decreases but the cyclic stability increases evidently.

however, faces challenges in stabilizing cathode-electrolyte interfaces, leading to substantial degradation of the layered structure at the cathode surface. A common approach to suppressing surface degradation is to apply external coating for the cathode-active particles. In this presentation, we propose a reactive coating method to obtain active cathode particles with protective passivation via transition metal doping. Our Mo (or Ti)-doped layered oxide cathodes contain more than 90% Ni and demonstrate high-voltage stability and good capacity retention. This results from an electrochemically stable, 10 nm-thick surface phase that is Mo (or Ti)-rich, as observed by electron microscopy, which was formed in situ during synthesis. Also, electron diffraction patterns from the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the surface phases have a rocksalt-like structure, while the bulk maintains the layered structure.
The surface-enhanced cathode delivers 216 mAh/g at the second discharge (0.2C, room temperature) with excellent capacity retention of 89% over 50 cycles (1C, 45oC). This outperforms the pristine Ni-rich cathode without doping, in which the retention rate is 78%. Differential capacity-voltage analysis and ex situ X-ray diffraction suggest that the surface coating can delay the unfavorable H2-H3 phase transition at high state of charge for the Ni-rich cathode, extending cycle life. We consider that our work demonstrates how doping can stabilize the particle surface of Ni-rich cathodes to promote Li intercalation reversibility and energy density.

Li-ion batteries, various research groups have explored manganese-based cathodes for cost-effectiveness and simple preparation, making them preferred for their high theoretical capacity and outstanding rate capability. In this study, alpha-MnO2 nano capsules have been synthesized for use as cathode material in aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs). Temperature plays a key role in the morphology of the obtained cathode materials, demonstrating a significant improvement in absorption spectra, crystallization, particle size, zeta potential, oxidation states, and electrochemical measurements. The sintering effect has led to remarkable results in terms of the average particle size, which is around 300 nm, and the nano capsule morphology aligns with the same. In electrochemical measurements, a specific capacity of 30 mAh/g has been achieved at a current density of 1A/g in a pouch cell configuration within a broad voltage window of 0.8-18V

technology. One promising alternative is aluminum batteries due to the earth abundance, inherent safety, high theoretical capacity, and low cost of aluminum metal. Additionally, batteries for space or defense applications often need to operate at extreme temperatures, but at low temperatures electrolytes often exhibit low ionic conductivity and are prone to freezing. The state-of-the-art electrolytes for aluminum batteries, Lewis acidic AlCl3 (aluminum chloride) [EMIm]Cl (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride) ionic liquids (ILs), are effective but expensive and exhibit low ionic mobilities below 0 oC. Their electrochemical and thermophysical properties can be tuned by adding a third species, such as urea. The AlCl3-urea ionic liquid analogue (ILA) has been considered as a lower cost alternative to the AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl IL electrolyte, though little research has been done on solvation in ternary mixtures of AlCl3-urea-[EMIm]Cl ILAs, or their corresponding electrochemical properties.

In this work, AlCl3-urea-[EMIm]Cl mixtures with 1.3:X:(1-X) molar ratios were synthesized, where X = 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1. Physical and electrochemical properties were characterized with spectroscopic, thermoanalytical, and electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that AlCl3-urea-[EMIm]Cl ILA electrolytes can be used to enhance the electrochemical performance, reduce the cost, and expand the operating temperature window of rechargeable aluminum-graphite batteries.

a high-voltage cathode. They adopt nonflammable solid electrolytes, promoting fire safety. To enable the all-solid system, the development of solid electrolytes that have superior Li conductivity and electrochemical stability is critical. In this study, we have investigated a noncrystalline 0.75Li2S-0.25P2S5 (a-LPS) and a-LPS-yLiX (a-LPSXy, y=11, 13, and 15 wt% and X=Halogen atoms) system as a solid electrolyte. These compositions were obtained systematically by mechanochemical reactions. The local structures of a-LPS and a-LPSXy were analyzed using synchrotron scattering. Additionally, we evaluated their Li conductivity and electrochemical stability. The pair-distribution function analysis indicates that halogen doping leads to local structure variation, improving Li mobility.

Among others, we found that iodine doping increases Li conductivity of a-LPS substantially. We constructed all-solid cells using a-LPSI11 as a solid electrolyte with the TiS2 cathode against Li metal. Ti redox operates reversibly with very small polarization. However, it shows capacity decay mostly due to cathodic instability against Li. In contrast, all-solid cell using the a-LPSF11 electrolyte shows much improved capacity retention with the expense of Li conductivity, suggesting that doping elements can dictate the electrochemical properties. We also tested the a-LPSF11 electrolyte against a layered oxide cathode (LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2). The cell shows good cyclability after the formation of cathode-electrolyte interphases in initial cycles. Our work demonstrates how doping can tailor the local structure of a-LPS and the resulting electrochemical properties.

The authors acknowledge the support by the U.S. Department of Energy under Award DE-SC0022876.

cycle life and energy efficiency of Li-S batteries are limited by the soluble discharge products of intermediate lithium polysulfide. To address above issues, sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (S-PAN) has been developed. It’s made by low-cost sulfur and polyacrylonitrile using simple thermal synthesis. The high temperature synthesis made sulfur had a strong connected with carbonized polyacrylonitrile structure by chemical bond, which avoid the shuttle effect problem and could operate in commercial carbonate-based electrolyte. In this paper, we report a free-standing S-PAN/CNT composite electrode with a specific capacity greater than 700 mAh/g and the composite electrode. In the composite electrode, CNTs mainly play the role of forming an electrically conductive network. It was found that when the ratio of CNTs in the composite electrode increases from 10% to 20%, the rate of the electrode is significantly improved. We used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to explore the morphology, conductivity, and ion migration in S-PAN/CNT electrodes at different lithiation degrees. We observed, with lithiation, the S-PAN particles increase in size and the electrode thickness increase, also the S-PAN conductivity increased and the contact with the electrical network of CNTs improved. Furthermore, we constructed full cells with S-PAN/CNT cathode and silicon/graphite anodes and applied a pre-lithiation method. Through experiments as well as theoretical calculations, the specific energy of Li-ion batteries with S-PAN/CNT cathodes can exceed that with existing lithium metal oxide cathodes.

charge transfer and lithium ion diffusion. Photo-assisted battery systems show promise, as research shows that light exposure can enhance charging. For instance, white light on a spinel LiMn₂O₄ (LMO) cathode accelerates charging by creating a more oxidized center [1]. Recent findings suggest that red light excitation on LMO cathodes shrinks the Mn-Mn lattice, speeding delithiation and reducing charging times [2]. These insights motivate us to explore whether specific light wavelengths can enhance lithiation on the anode side.
Spinel Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) anodes are promising for fast-charging due to their high-rate capability and structural stability but suffer from poor lithium diffusion because of low ionic conductivity. Investigating the effects of light on LTO, we exposed it to UV light (3.4 eV) and observed increased electron transfer, which improved lithiation and enhanced current during charging. Red light (2 eV), in contrast, did not produce this effect. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirmed that UV light reduced charge transfer resistance, while galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) tests showed lithium-ion diffusion was 1.3 times faster under UV illumination.
This study demonstrates that photo-accelerated fast charging is achievable during lithiation on anodes, offering exciting possibilities for improving LIB performance and meeting the fast-charging needs of future EVs.
References:
[1] A. Lee et al., Nat. Commun., 10, 4946 (2019).
[2] J. Lipton et al., Cell Reports Physical Science, 3, 101051 (2022).

natural abundance of zinc; thus, it's necessary to understand the electrochemical properties and stability of each element in the Zn-ion hybrid capacitor system. We have studied the physical, chemical, and electrochemical changes of the anode, cathode and full cell during the cycling process. In this study, Zn foil was used as anode, activated carbon as cathode, saturated calomel electrode as reference electrode, and 3M Zn(CF3SO3)2 in water as electrolyte to construct Zn-ion hybrid capacitors. For the Zn anode, its surface becomes rough with cycles, meantime, the capacity increases with the cycle; as the number of cycles increases further, the deposits on the Zn surface gradually fall off. Moreover, we found that the maximum stable potential of activated carbon in aqueous electrolyte is much less than 1.8 V vs. Zn/Zn+ . It was found that when the cathode potential was higher than 1.5 V vs. Zn/Zn+, the coulombic efficiency decrease significantly, and CO2 was also measured by gas chromatography, indicating the cathode was oxidized. Pouch cell bulging was also observed, especially when the capacitor was charged to above 1.6 V and held at this voltage. The conclusion is that although Zn and carbon are low-cost and abundant, the electrochemical instability of activated carbon at high potentials will greatly reduce the energy density of the capacitor, and the unstable Zn anode greatly reduces the actual value of the entire hybrid capacitor.

membrane (PEM) fuel cell-battery system in heavy-duty vehicles. The control system manages power distribution between the battery and the PEM fuel cell. During braking, energy is recovered and stored in the battery. Additionally, a thermal system, modeled using a fluid network, maintains optimal temperatures for the battery, DC-DC converters, motor, and PEM fuel cell. The suggested strategy involves keeping the temperature of the PEM fuel cell stack at 353.15K (≈80°C) to maximize performance. The cooling system circulates coolant between the cells to absorb excess heat, which is then released into the environment through the radiator. This system ensures the motor remains within the desired temperature range, preventing overheating and maintaining optimal performance. The proposed energy and thermal management strategy is validated through MATLAB/Simscape® simulations.

not being tied down to a wall outlet, a gas pump, or the need for one-time use batteries. This advance was created in part by the development of energy dense, higher power, lithium-ion (LIB) batteries based on over 30y of advances in the fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, & materials science. While early consumer goods were based on LiCoO2, the materials used has greatly expanded as the needs and end users have evolved, including materials demand being driven by the popularity of EVs. The cathodes of choice for EVs need to have high capacity (driving distance), rate, and be stable to oxygen release. The preferred materials use a terminology that reflects the metal ratios, for example Li(Ni0.6Mn0.2Co0.2)O2 is noted as NMC622. Early compositions for consumer and automotive applications centered around NMC333 due to its high stability, but over the past decade the market has moved to the higher capacity composition NMC811. In the next 20y Goldman Sachs has predicted that global EVs sales will be 50% of the world market (73m units/y). The demand for LIBs brings with it a need for more materials (specifically the transition metals Ni, Co, and the salt component fluoride) and increased processing knowledge. Seeing the increasing demand and the limitations of present mining output (domestic and international) we have been
developing a more robust direct recycling and upcycling effort that preserves the NMC lattice during re-processing to limit materials and capital losses. Using direct recycling, we have been developing methodologies to convert recovered NMC333 directly to NMC622 (or NMC811) without acid dissolution using a combination of reactive coatings, templating, and annealing to homogenize these new high nickel cathode materials. The synthesis, characterization, and conversion of these low nickel
phases to high nickel phases has been studied using Solid State NMR, various synchrotron X-Ray methods, and electrochemical analysis. These synthesis methods developed utilize a water-based coating process to convert the recovered cathodes to new commercially viable NMC formulations with significantly less waste produced versus conventional methods.

has become a key focus in current research. However, current measurement techniques are either insufficient in delivering spatial, temporal, or causal information, costly when using methods based on e.g. X-rays, or time-consuming due to destructive post-mortem analyses that also lack operando data. In this work, we demonstrate an ultrasound imaging method for operando visualization of the interior of a multi-layer pouch battery cell. This method enables non-invasive visualization of lithium plating formation and stripping across multiple cells during cycling. Extensive studies using reference electrodes, along with SEM-EDX analysis, confirm the method's effectiveness in detecting lithium plating. Ultimately, this approach allows researchers to accelerate the development of new cell technologies and optimize their performance.

the entire life cycle. In particular, understanding unusual aging patterns can inform decisions such as battery replacements or software updates thereby providing users with greater security and advancing the adoption of electric mobility.
In this work, we present an unsupervised framework using statistical learning for the detection of anomalous battery aging values and apply our approach to an extensive dataset encompassing 12 million readouts collected from 600 thousand commercial vehicles. The framework incorporates a clustering process to group estimated aging values with similar load histories, followed by the selection of a suitable probability density function to model the distribution of the values within each group. This distribution function is then used for a probabilistic analysis of each aging data cluster and efficient anomaly detection based on percentile confidence intervals. To validate our framework, we use real-world data from a corrupted prototype software and our framework successfully identifies 98% of the outlier data as anomalies. By implementing this framework, car manufacturers can ensure more accurate monitoring and maintenance of their battery systems, leading to increased efficiency and reliability over the batteries' life cycles. Our methodology not only enhances operational strategies but also contributes significantly to reducing costs and improving the sustainability of electric vehicle operations.

of lithium-ion cells. The identification of optimal electrolyte formulations can lead to significant competitive advantages in cell production. Electrolyte degradation is indicated by gas formation, dry-out of the cell and/or the appearance of surface layers and reactive intermediates. Conventional methods to quantify electrolyte degradation by classical aging tests are time-consuming and provide first results after several weeks or months.
In this work, we focus on the rapid characterization of electrolytes for a lithium-ion cell with high nickel content. The pouch cell is a 1 Ah lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide (NMC/graphite-SiOx) battery supplied by Li-FUN Technology Corporation Limited dry and without electrolyte. To evaluate the electrochemical properties and behavior of the different electrolytes, we use potentiostatic coulometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). These methods allow us to quickly characterize the stability and degradation mechanisms of the electrolytes under different conditions. The aim of the investigation is to find stable lithium salts. LiPF6, LiBOB and LiClO4 are investigated for this purpose. For further analysis, EIS spectra are evaluated using the distribution of relaxation times. The hardware used for the precise current measurements was developed at the RWTH Aachen University.
Our results show that potentiostatic coulometry provides an overview of the stability within a short time frame. In particular, the aging behavior of the investigated cells varies considerably due to the conducting salts, which can be shown at an early stage by potentiostatic coulometry.

lithium-ion batteries, offering a cost-effective, real-time insight into electrochemical processes. However, the exact relationship between ultrasonic transmission changes and the cell's chemical state remains poorly understood. This study aims to bridge that gap by correlating data from operando ultrasound measurements with synchrotron wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) in a commercial NMC/graphite cell. By conducting simultaneous ultrasound and synchrotron WAXS experiments during electrochemical cycling, we aim to enhance the interpretability of ultrasound time-of-flight (ToF) and amplitude (USAmp) variations. The combination of these techniques provides insights into the influence of both NMC and graphite on the ultrasonic signal. This work represents a significant step toward a more profound understanding of the interplay between mechanical, electrochemical, and ultrasonic parameters, advancing the application of low-cost sensors in battery diagnostics and development.

a promising solution, enabling the conversion of CO₂ into valuable products such as alcohols, fuels, and acids. Achieving practical, high-efficiency CO₂ER requires advanced electrolyte designs that enables high CO₂ solubility, rapid ion dynamics, and favorable solvation structures at the electrode interface. This study integrates insights from both non-aqueous (organic solvents) and aqueous (ionic liquids (ILs) are used as additives) electrolyte research. A data-driven approach is used by integrating high-throughput density functional theory (DFT), COSMO-RS calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations to examine a large and diverse chemical space to design novel electrolytes.  We efficiently executed and managed these high-throughput simulations using MISPR, an open-source software that automates DFT and MD workflows to systematically investigate key electrolyte properties. In non-aqueous systems, analysis of over 3000 organic solvents spanning 11 different chemicals reveals the effect of molecular structure on structural and dynamical properties. Particularly protic versus aprotic characteristics, significantly affect viscosity and ion transport, both of which are essential to reaction efficiency. In aqueous electrolytes, ILs as additives bring unique advantages, including high CO₂ solubility, enhanced ionic conductivity, and broad electrochemical stability. This dual approach combines the strengths of both electrolyte environments, creating a versatile platform for optimizing CO₂ reduction pathways. This framework advances the practical application of CO₂ER by strategically tuning solvation dynamics and electrolyte properties, providing a robust pathway toward efficient and sustainable CO₂ conversion.